In this week's episode we review Major Depressive Disorder, a common mental disorder affecting millions of Americans. We explore who this disorder affects, what happens in the brain and body, and what treatments are available. We also get into the psychadellic substance psilocybin (psylocin) and how this breakthrough therapy may help those with Major Depressive Disorder.

References:

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2019). Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. HHS Publication No. PEP19-5068, NSDUH Series H-54, 170, 51-58. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt39443/2021NSDUHNNR122322/2021NSDUHNNR122322.htm#major

Marx, W., Penninx, B. W., Solmi, M., Furukawa, T. A., Firth, J., Carvalho, A. F., & Berk, M. (2023). Major depressive disorder. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 9(1), 44. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41572-023-00454-1

Daws, R. E., Timmermann, C., Giribaldi, B., Sexton, J. D., Wall, M. B., Erritzoe, D., ... & Carhart-Harris, R. (2022). Increased global integration in the brain after psilocybin therapy for depression. Nature medicine, 28(4), 844-851.https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-01744-z

Ling, S., Ceban, F., Lui, L. M., Lee, Y., Teopiz, K. M., Rodrigues, N. B., ... & McIntyre, R. S. (2022). Molecular mechanisms of psilocybin and implications for the treatment of depression. CNS drugs, 36(1), 17-30. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40263-021-00877-y

Kuypers, K. P. (2020). The therapeutic potential of microdosing psychedelics in depression. Therapeutic advances in psychopharmacology, 10, 2045125320950567. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2045125320950567

Metaxa, A. M., & Clarke, M. (2024). Efficacy of psilocybin for treating symptoms of depression: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ, 385. https://www.bmj.com/content/385/bmj-2023-078084.abstract